Protective device for automobiles



March 30, 1937. E, KlEBER 2,075,040

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 24, 1934 y j. 45 44 fg f/2 ff' JL- flmlllliN /N/E/v TUR buen-N msnm 4 TTU/KNEW Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to automobiles, and particularly to a device for warning drivers of excessive speed on curves and for the preven-` tion of iire in case the machine is overturned.

The main object of this invention is to warn drivers of automobiles when they are exceeding safe speed limits on curves.

The second object is to shut oii the ignition in event of a collision, or when the car is overturned, or if the car takes a curve with very dangerous speed. y

The third object is to so construct the device as tol automatically continue fto sound the alarm when a car has been overturned.

apparent from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the device showing the wiring in diagram.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the device.

l Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout the views.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a cylindrical case Ill provided with a cap II on the under side of which is secured the upper half I2 of a socket for the ball I3, which is retained by a cap lI4 whose under side I5 is countersunk along the lines' I6.

The ball I3 has attached thereto a threaded rod,I1 on whose lower end ,is disposed a weight I8 which is held between the upper nut I9 and the lower nut 28. The rod I1 has slidably mounted on its lower end a contact shoe 2I which is prevented from rotating by means of a spline 22. The shoe 2I is urged downwardly by means of a spring 22-A. The shoe 2l engages a concave metal plate 23 which is mounted on a base of insulating material 24. When the weight I8 is swung a suiilcient distance from the center of the plate 23 the shoe 2l latches on the outside of the shoulder 25 of the base 24. j

Outside of the yshoulder 25 is disposed an annular trip ring 2B which can be raised by pushing upwardly on the button 21 whose radial arms 28 carry the spring-urged plungers 29 whose upper ends are attached to the ring 26. 'I'he purpose of the button 21 is merely to provide a release for the shoe 2|. Secured to the inside of the case III and surroundingv the lower y end of the weight I8 is a resilient cushion 30.

The rod I1 passes through a' sleeve 3l which is provided with a ange 32 at its upper end, which ange engages the under side I5 of the cap I4.

These, and other objects, will become more (Cl. Zoll-52) Secured to the rod I1 is a cup 33 in which rests the spring 34 whose upper end surrounds the sleeve 3l and bears against the flange' 32.

The purpose of this construction is to urge the weight I8 to a central position. Surrounding the cup 33 is a ring 35 which is suspended from. the

springs 36, one of which is joined to a binding post 31 on the case I8 and is joined by means of the wire'38 to the horn 39 and vhorn button 40. One side of the horn button 40 is joined by the Wire 4I to the grounded battery 42, which is also connected by means of the wire I43 to the horn 39. The wire 4I is joined by means of a wire 44 to the binding post 45 which connects with the socket member I2.

The plate 23 is connected by means of a wireu 46 to the binding post 41 which is joined byV means of the wire 48 to the coil 49 of the'ignition circuit 5D, which is shown in its elemental form for the purpose of simplifying the invention.

The operation of the device is as follows: It being assumed that the casing I0 is mounted on some portion 5I of the automobile so that the rod I1 will 'assume a vertical position in the center of the plate 23, and that the connections have been made as indicated, and, for example, the driver of the car permits it to round a curve at an excessive speed the weight I8 will swing toward the outside of the curve and when the cup 33 engages the ring 35 the Vhorn circuit will be closed through the Wires 38, 43, 4I and 44, indicating to the occupants of the car that they are traveling at a dangerous speed.

If, however, this speed is increased on the curve to the point at which the `shoe 2| will latch upon the shoulder 25 then the flow of current to the ignition circuit is interrupted, which will not only retard thespeed of the car but will prevent a spark from the ignition system setting the car on iire, which is often the case when a car is overturned.

The actions just described also take place when the car is accelerated or decelerated at abnormal rates of speed, or in event of a collision from any direction-that is to say, if a car is being operated or standing still and it is struck by another machine it will sound the horn and continue to sound it until the button 21 is tripped.

It will be understood that while I have shownl the pendulum type of switch that the mercurial type of switch may also be used, and it is not my intention to be limited to the precise form of the device shown in the drawing, since I intend to cover all forms of the device which fall fairly within the appended claims.

Cil

I claim:

1. A protective device for automobiles including a switch consisting of a case, a pendulum mounted in said case having a universal pivot by means of which it is attached to said case adapted to permit said pendulum to swing in any direction, a contact plate mounted under said pendu- ,lum, a shoe yieldably attached to said pendulum 2. A switch' comprising a support, a pendulum suspended on said support for universal movement, a circular concave contact plate under said pendulum, a contact shoe slidable on said plate and yieldably connected to said pendulum, said pendulum, plate and shoe adapted to be included in series in an electric circuit, means for latching said shoe beyond the periphery of the plate and out of contact therewith, yieldable means for engaging the pendulum before the shoe breaks con tact with the plate and for yieldably resisting the contact breaking movement of the pendulum, means connected to the yieldable means for connecting said pendulum in an additional circuit and means for unlatching said shoe from any point about the plate.

' EUGEN KIEBER. 

